View from the BaDMaN Boot Room - GW 9

Friday, October 19 2018

We’re back to Premier League business this weekend.

Although I did enjoy the International break – especially the modest and strictly impartial coverage of England (or The Empiric Ruler of the Seas, as I prefer to call her) giving johnny foreigner a ruddy good hiding.

(Spain was it? They all look the same to me…).

We have since been rightly installed as favourites for the next few World Cups (or the Britannia and its associated kingdoms Cup, as I prefer to call it). Let’s just wallow in those match stats for a second…

Not much change from Game Week 8, but there’s a new face between the sticks.

It must be Halloween soon…

Man City’s Ederson might look like the Hulk’s ugly little brother – he’s perhaps the only person whose neck tattoo makes him look less like a serial killer – but he is the ace face in goal. It only took him two matches to clock up his first assist of the season and four clean sheets on the spin has seen him tickle past early leaders the Hennessey (CP) and Etheridge (CAR) into the No 1 spot.

(I know who I’d rather share a cell with though. He’s a funny shape too – wide hips. Make me feel weird. Perhaps I’ll explore this in future weeks – he’s likely to be in top spot for at least another week, their at home to Burnley this weekend.)

For the thrifty, you can save yourself £1.1m by opting for Patricio (WOL) – who also clambered over a couple into second place. Wolves have kept their sheets clean in four of the last five and face toothless Watford and Brighton next.

Must be a full moon…

While we’re on the subject, a lone wolf has snuck into our back four. Wandering wing-back Matt Doherty has copped for all of Wolves’ clean sheets, plus a couple of assists and then last week added a goal into the mix. In the process he’s overlapped* England pair Kyle Walker (MC) and Kieron Tripper (TOT).

(* Eh? Eh? You like that…? Yeah, you do. You’re cracking up!).

At a measly £4.8m he’s the pick of the bunch, with the next best option trading at less than £6m Man City’s Laporte – currently ranked 7th. Wolves’ Jonny and Boly are bubbling under and both worth a look at £4.5m and £4.6m respectively.

Pleading Gylfi in midfield…

Nothing much to report in midfield either. Apart from a 14pt blitz from Hazard (CHE) to put Eden* more distance between him and the pack.

(* Zing!)

But both Fraser (BOU) and Mane (LIV) have slight doubts this weekend, so it is worth having a gander at Luca Moura (TOT) and Maddison (LEI). Both have been hovering around the fringes of the first X1 for a bit now and at £7.4m and £7m will give you a better exchange rate than Sterling** (MC) at the moment.

(** Zing!!!)

Everton’s Sigurdsson has had a good couple of weeks too. Four goals from four matches, in fact. And I doubt you’ve already got too many Everton players now, have you…

Aguero is the man. Plain and simple…

Watching Man City’s All Or Nothing documentary has given me a fresh perspective on a few things inside the club. I was surprised how vocal Fabian Delph was/ is… it left me wondering just how much of Guardiola’s Pep*** talks the at-best-pigeon-English speaking players understand… and I thought Sergio Aguero seemed a bit retarded.

Well perhaps ‘retarded’ is harsh, but a bit simple. He’s a lovely looking boy. But y’know how very pretty girls tend to be a bit… y’know, bubble-headed. He knows where the net is though and looks better than ever this season – racking up four assists alongside his five PL goals. So still top man.

(*** Zi-i-i-ing!!!)

He is joined by Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson, whose one-goal-and-two-assists performance at Watford trumped Lacazette’s two goals at Fulham.

That’s six assists for Callum now – which is a good job, because he does miss a few stick-ons. But he is keeping Lacazette’s Arsenal mate Aubameyang, Wilson’s Bournemouth mate King and everyone’s matc ‘Arry Kane (TOT) out of the picture. So fair dos.

On the Watch list…

In summary, these are the bad boys the BaDMan recommends should be on your radar:

GK: Patricio (WOL) – Just 1pt behind Ederson, £1.1m cheaper and less frightening to look at.DEF:Laporte (MC) is a £1.1m cheaper option than Walker. Jonny and Boly (WOL) will save you £1m+ more.MID: Maddison (LEI) has been knocking on the door all season. FOR: Lacazette (ARS) four goals and four assists in six matches suggests he has got the measure of the PL. Like his boss.

Play nice.

Matt Nesbitt

Ben Dinnery

Ben is football’s leading injury specialist. The ‘go-to’ guru for big hitters like Sky Sports, ESPN and NBC Sports when they need data. Or the BBC, talkSPORT and the broadsheets when a quote is required. His unique insight has helped provide a better understanding of what is really happening in the treatment rooms.

Johnny Wilson

Johnny is a respected physiotherapist and sports scientist, specialising in football injuries and rehab. Johnny has headed up the medical departments at Chesterfield, Scunthorpe and Notts County. Overseeing everything from player-specific training loads to pre-signing medicals. He has a proven record working with elite athletes in Private Practice and is regularly called upon throughout Europe to deliver presentations on the latest rehab innovations.

Matt Nesbitt

Matt's short, unremarkable football career was ended by his own bad driving. His long, distinguished career as a football tipster was ended by his own good advice. Because bookmakers don’t like a winner. First, they closed his accounts. Then his members’ accounts. Then his tipping service. And now they employ him as a consultant. Funny old game.